BY ORDER OF THE BOOT

Serie A pundit Virgo says Italian job Scots can fire us to Nations League glory night against the Greeks

THE team-mates left behind at Manchester United were branded "not good enough and overpaid" by their own boss last week.

But the superlatives keep flooding in for Scotland's Serie A superstar Scott McTominay.

Former Celt and Italian top-flight football pundit for TNT Sports Adam Virgo reckons the £25.7million splashed out on the midfielder is the league's best buy of the season.

Steve Clarke has a quartet of Italy-based players in his squad for the play-offs against Greece.

Virgo believes McTominay, Billy Gilmour, Lewis Ferguson and Che Adams performing in Serie A is a massive boost to Scotland's ambitions of staying in Nations League top rank.

Right now, McTominay, 28, is pick of the bunch as he's crucial to Antonio Conte's Serie A title charge.

Napoli are three points off Inter at the top and 58-cap McTominay is a hero.

Virgo said: "Scott's been the Serie A signing of the season.

"Every time I see Napoli, he's their best player. Conte demands a lot from him - but McTominay delivers.

"He's got a really good relationship playing just in behind (Romelu) Lukaku.

"His energy levels are outstanding. He starts week in, week out. That's only going to improve him as a player for Scotland.

"Napoli are conservative and the goals for' is not high (45 in 29 games). This a team that doesn't score a lot.

"Conte's team isn't set up to have a 15-goal midfielder. They play a lot through Lukaku or wider areas.

"But when McTominay makes those midfield runs, he's brilliant. He's scored big goals in big games, in a 1-1 with Inter Milan and against Atalanta in a 3-2 win.